The 5th Annual Conference of IGU Commission on Agricultural Geography and Land Engineering (IGU-AGLE) was successfully held in Hanzhong, China on 5 - 9 May 2023. The conference was jointly organized by the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(IGSNRR, CAS), Shaanxi University of Technology, and the People's Government of Hanzhong Municipality. More than 400 experts and specialists from Asia, Europe, Oceania, and various universities in China participated in the conference.

　　Distinguished attendees and keynote speakers included Michael Meadows, President of IGU and Fellow of the Royal Society of South Africa; FU Bojie, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Academician of The Word Academy Sciences, and Director of Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences of Chinese Academy of Sciences; SHAO Ming'an, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Researcher fellow of the Institute of Soil and Water Conservation of CAS & MWR; CAO Jinghua, Executive Director of the Secretariat of the Alliance of International Science Organizations (ANSO); LIU Yansui, Academician of The Word Academy Sciences, Fellow of the Chinese Geographical Society, and Director of the Key Laboratory of Regional Sustainable Development Modeling of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; Mihajlo Jakovljevic, Academician of The World Academy of Sciences for the advancement of science in developing countries (UNECSO-TWAS) and Professor at the University of Kragujevac, Serbia; Guy M. Robinson, Professor of Department of Geography, Environment, and Population at the University of Adelaide, Australia; Coline Perrin, Professor at the French National Institute for Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Research (INRAE); LONG Hualou, Academician of the British Academy Distinguished Professor of the Chang Jiang Scholars Program，and Professor at Guangxi University; HU Yiyuan, Dean and Professor of the School of Economics, Management, and Law at Shaanxi University of Technology; GUO Zhisheng, Deputy Mayor of The People’s Government of Hanzhong Municipality; ZHANG Jun, County Mayor of The People’s Government, Yang County.

　　The conference aimed to promote the organic integration of academic exchanges, government decision-making and enterprise practice, and invited academicians, experts, government officials, and enterprise representatives to deliver speeches on the same stage. Research achievements, development plans, and geographic products were fully displayed, and arrangements were made for report exchanges, base observations, and on-site inspections. For the first time, the conference established awards for Best papers, Outstanding Presentations, and Corporate Practices. In collaboration with the internationally renowned journal "Land Use Policy," a special issue on "Sustainable Land Use and Rural Revitalization Against Global Challenges" was set up to recommend outstanding conference papers for publication, creating a favorable atmosphere for academic exchanges, scientific research, and application cooperation in rural revitalization.

　　The conference consisted of five parts: Opening Ceremony, Plenary Presentation, Theme Presentation, Parallel Sessions on Special Topics, and The Closing Ceremony.

　　(1) Opening Ceremony. On the morning of May 6th, the opening ceremony was chaired by Guy M. Robinson, Co-Chair of IGU-AGLE. Michael Meadows, President of the IGU; LIU Yansui, Chair of IGU-AGLE; WANG Jianping, Deputy Secretary of the Hanzhong Municipal Party Committee and Mayor; and ZHAO Xiaolin, Secretary of the Party Committee of Shaanxi University of Technology, delivered speeches respectively, expressing their warm congratulations on the successful convening of the international conference and introducing the role and mission of the International Geographical Union, the organization and theme of the forum, the advantages and characteristics of Hanzhong's location and industries, and the development and service of Shaanxi University of Technology. President Michael Meadows highly praised China's achievements in poverty alleviation and commended the outstanding contributions made by Chinese geographers in addressing key issues such as comprehensive rural revitalization.

 

Guy M Robinson opened the conference

                                                                         Michael Meadows                                                                                    LIU Yansui

                                                                           WANG Jianping                                                                                   ZHAO Xiaolin

Forum Invited Guest address

　　(2) Plenary Presentation. The plenary presentation were chaired by LIU Yansui, academician of the Academy of Developing Countries and president of IGU-AGLE, and LONG Hualou, Changjiang Scholar Distinguished Professor of Guangxi University. Academician Michael Meadows gave a presentation entitled "Rural Revitalization and the Sustainable Development Goals: Challenges, Progress, and Prospects", systematically describing the challenges, main progress, and prospects of rural revitalization and sustainable development. Academician FU Bojie gave a report entitled "Ecological Restoration of Land Space and Rural Revitalization", systematically analyzing the logical relationship and coupled development path between ecological restoration and rural revitalization. Academician SHAO Ming'an spoke on "Building Digital Villages to Help Rural Revitalization", describing the current situation, problems, and solutions of digital village development. CAO Jinghua, Executive Director of the Secretariat of the Alliance of International Science Organizations for the Belt and Road Initiative, gave a report entitled "ANSO Efforts for Sustainable Development", describing the contribution of ANSO to sustainable development. LIU Yansui, academician of the Academy of Developing Countries and president of IGU-AGLE, gave a report entitled "Global Sustainable Development and Human-Environment System Science", systematically introducing new theories, new methods, and new practices of global sustainable development and human-environment system science. The keynote speeches were insightful and comprehensive, and deeply elaborated on the new theories and new cases of ecological industrialization and rural revitalization in China and abroad, sorted out and refined the comprehensive rural revitalization paradigm, ecological product value transformation path and mode, and put forward systematic new ideas and suggestions for the harmonious coexistence of human and nature, and the construction of livable, business-friendly and beautiful rural areas under the background of globalization.

                                                     Michael Meadows                                                    FU Bojie                                                      SHAO Ming'an

                                                                                                CAO Jinghua                                                   LIU Yansui

Forum Invited Guests

　　（3）Theme Presentation. The theme presentation on the afternoon of the 6th were chaired by LI Yuheng, Secretary-General of IGU-AGLE, and LI Yurui, Deputy Director and Secretary-General of the Agricultural Geography and Rural Development Committee of the Chinese Geographical Society. Professor Mihajlo Jakovljevic delivered a report entitled "Emerging BRICS Markets' Sustainable Development-Challenge of Long-Term Healthcare Spending Forecasts", which analyzed the challenges and countermeasures facing the sustainable development of emerging markets and rural areas in BRICS countries. Professor Coline Perrin explored the current status and development of rural construction in France, and the challenges related to soil sealing, food, and energy under the theme "Rural Constructions in France: Soil Sealing, Food, and Energy Challenges". Professor Guy M. Robinson compared and analyzed the significance of multifunctional agriculture for the modernization of Chinese agriculture under the theme "Multifunctional Resilience? Diverse and Dynamic Ruralities in XiAn’s Peri-Urban Fringe".

　　Then, Professor LONG Hualou discussed the inspiration and thinking brought about by the transformation of village industries in developed areas to rural revitalization under the theme "The Inspiration of Industrial Transformation of Villages in Developed Areas for Rural Revitalization: A Case Study of Tengtou Village in Zhejiang Province". Professor HU Yiyuan expounded on the importance of coordinated development and integrated mechanisms for ecological protection and rural revitalization under the theme "Research on the Mechanism of Coordinated Promotion of Ecological Protection and Rural Revitalization in the Qinba Mountainous Area". GUO Zhisheng, Deputy Mayor of Hanzhong City, introduced an objective and feasible path for industrial ecological development based on the development of various industries in Hanzhong City under the theme "Hanzhong's Practical Exploration of Rural Industry Ecologization". HE Tianhua, Deputy County Mayor of Yangxian, elaborated on the development direction of Yangxian's characteristic organic industry from various angles and stakeholders under the theme "Organic Lead to Promote Development and Multi-area Joint Construction to Compose a New Chapter". Deputy Researcher WANG Yongsheng combined the theory and practice of the new ecological economy and regional rural revitalization under the theme "New Ecological Economy and Regional Rural Revitalization: Theory and Practice" with the demonstration base case of Yangxian to illustrate its rationality and feasibility. The keynote speeches were well received by the experts and scholars present.

                                                Mihajlo Jakovljevic                         Coline Perrin                              Guy M. Robinson                            LONG Hualou

     HU Yiyuan                             GUO Zhisheng                                   HE Tianhua                             WANG Yongsheng

Keynote speaker at the Conference

　　(4) Parallel Sessions

　　The forum set up six parallel sessions, including "Human-nature relationship and human-earth system science", "Regional ecological industrialization and high-quality development", "Sustainable land use and policy innovation", "Human settlement environment improvement and harmonious rural construction", "Modern organic agriculture and policies for strong agriculture and prosperity", and "Comprehensive rural revitalization path and practice in Hanzhong". A total of 139 experts and scholars made sub-forum reports. By organizing reports, expert Q&A, and reviews, the effectiveness of in-depth discussions and academic exchanges was improved.

Special reports and exchanges in sub-sessions

          ZHU lin                                                          LIU Yongqiang                                                  QIAO Weifeng

LI Jintao                                                        LIU Zhengjia                                                        FENG Zili

Representatives from each parallel session concluded their speeches

　　(5) Closing ceremony. The forum's closing ceremony was held in the South Campus Auditorium of Shaanxi University of Technology on the afternoon of the 7th and was presided over by Professor CHENG Linjie, Vice President of Shaanxi University of Technology. The closing ceremony was divided into three parts: First, representatives from the sub-forums gave summary speeches, awards were presented, and the forum was summarized. The moderators or reviewers of the six sub-forums summarized their respective reports on stage, and Associate Professor ZHU Lin from Chengdu University of Technology, Associate Professor LIU Yongqiang from Ningbo University, Professor QIAO Weifeng from Nanjing Normal University, Associate Professor LI Jintao from Shandong University, Associate Researcher LIU Zhengjia from the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Professor FENG Zili from Shaanxi University of Technology gave wonderful reviews and summaries of their respective sub-forum reports. The parallel sessions conducted in-depth discussions on issues such as rural revitalization, sustainable land use, harmonious development of human and nature, ecosystem services, innovative policies for strong and prosperous agriculture, and organic agriculture, and sparked sparks of thought.

　　Secondly, awards were presented. Best Paper Award, Outstanding Presentation Award, and Corporate Practice Award were presented. Michael Meadows, President of the IGU, LIU Yansui, President of the IGU-AGLE, Guy M Robinson, Co-President of the IGU-AGLE, Coline Perrin, Vice President of the IGU-AGLE, and other Chinese and foreign experts and leaders presented certificates of honor to the award winners. Thirdly, the forum was summarized. LI Yuheng, Secretary-General of the IGU-AGLE, made a summary speech, congratulating and thanking all representatives for their strong support of the successful holding of the forum, and briefly summarized the progress, main features, and important achievements of the forum, reviewing the key work of the IGU-AGLE since its establishment and the theme features of the five academic conferences. Finally, CHENG Linjie emphasized that this international forum was of high level, large scale, wide-ranging, with excellent reports and in-depth discussions, and resulted in fruitful experiences and effective exchanges, promoting civilization, mutual learning, and achievement, and announced the successful conclusion of the "Ecological Industrialization and Comprehensive Rural Revitalization International Forum".

CHENG Linjie                                                      LI Yuheng

 

    Best Paper Award                                        Outstanding Presentation Award                             Corporate Practice Award

Closing Ceremony

　　Ecological industrialization is an important component of modern agriculture's high-quality development and rural revitalization. In the revitalization of rural areas, industrial prosperity is the focus, ecological livability is the key, and a prosperous life is fundamental. Rural areas have a huge green ecosystem, important agricultural production systems, and unique social and cultural systems. Implementing ecological industrialization and rural revitalization strategies is not only beneficial for meeting the growing ecological product and service needs of the people but also for optimizing the rural industrial structure and the relationship between people and land systems. It provides new green energy and opportunities for sustainable land use and rural development in the context of globalization.

　　The forum received scientific guidance and support from the International Geographical Union (IGU), the Alliance of International Science Organizations in the Belt and Road Region (ANSO), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC). It was hosted by the Key Laboratory of Regional Sustainable Development Analysis and Simulation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, the ANSO Poverty Reduction and Development Alliance (ANSO-APRD), and the People's Government of Yang County, and co-sponsored by the Rural Planning and Governance Engineering Technology Innovation Center of the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Agricultural Geography and Rural Development Committee of the Chinese Geographical Society, and the China Modern Agriculture and Rural Revitalization Research and Demonstration Base (Yang County).

International forum representatives take a group photo

　　The Commission on Agricultural Geography and Land Engineering of the International Geographical Union (IGU-AGLE) was approved for establishment on December 29, 2016. Prof. LIU Yansui, a researcher at the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, served as the first chairman, and Dr. LI Yuheng, an associate researcher, served as the secretary-general. Distinguished scholars from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Australia, Sweden, Thailand, Pakistan, and other countries served as deputy chairs and members of the commission. IGU-AGLE is the first commission initiated and chaired by Chinese mainland scholars among the 39 commissions under the IGU. Since its establishment, IGU-AGLE has held five international academic conferences: the first was held in Yulin, Shaanxi Province, China, from August 26 to 29, 2017, with the theme of "Global Rural Development and Land Capacity Building"; the second was held in Uppsala, Sweden, from October 17 to 19, 2018, with the theme of "Policy, Research and Development Trends for Rural Revitalization in a Post-Rural World"; the third was held in Medan, Indonesia, from October 22 to 24, 2019, with the theme of "Rethinking the Impacts of Urbanization on Agriculture and Land Use"; the fourth was held online in Montpellier, France, from March 24 to 26, 2021, with the theme of "Thinking Urban-Rural interactions through Food and Land Use issues"; and the fifth will be held in Hanzhong, Shaanxi Province, China, on May 6 and 7, 2023, with the theme of "International Conference on Ecological Industrialization and Comprehensive Rural Revitalization".